Tag Archives: christmas

Another Magical Christmas

My Incredible Daughters

2012 – Another Magical Christmas With The Most Amazing Little Girls In My Big World!

Posted in Children, Girls, Kids, Mom, Parenting, Photography | Tagged christmas, holiday, love, magic | Leave a comment

Best Stocking Stuffer For Desktop Management

Who would have thought that the Quirky Cordies Desktop Cable Management for power cords and charging accessory cables were one of the most sought after items on everyone’s Christmas list? I didn’t, but did buy them anyhow! Did I mention they are UNDER $10.00 and will be one of my many Secret Santa gifts this year!

More colors are available. I just happened to think these looked pretty together

Posted in Media, Shopping, Tech | Tagged christmas, desktop, gifts, holiday, presents, secret santa, stocking stuffer, work | Leave a comment

Top Last Minute Gifts For Everyone

Christmas is around the corner and I have yet to finish my Christmas shopping. While browsing for ideas, I stumbled upon a few great gifts for everyone on your list!

Omega J8005 Nutrition Center Single-Gear Commercial Masticating Juicer, Chrome and Black
The not so juicy juicer… In the health conscious world we live in, this Juicer is ideal! Not only does it function as a juicer, it is also a food processor, pasta extruder, homogenizer and grinder. For those of you that are not fond of pulp, it has an auto pulp ejection function so you can continuously keep the juice flowing. $235.00

AmazonBasics High-Speed HDMI Cable (6.5 Feet/2.0 Meters) – Supports Ethernet, 3D, and Audio Return [Newest Standard]
With all the new electronics people are adding to their homes this Christmas, an HDMI cable is sure to go a long way and one of the last things gift givers and receivers think to buy for themselves. $5.49

Brother CS6000i Advance Sew Affordable 60-Stitch Computerized Free-Arm Sewing Machine with Hard Case
Whether you like to sew or not, every home needs a sewing machine. The Brother CS600i is not only affordable, it’s computerized (obviously… we do live in the year 2012). It’s affordable and from what I have heard, very easy to use (which is why it is on my Christmas list). $120.26

Oster Rechargeable and Cordless Wine Opener with Chiller
Still one of my favorites and still kicking since 3 years ago, the Oster Cordless Wine opener works like a charm, doesn’t cost much at all and works with ALL (yes, all) traditional wine bottles. It even includes a foil cutter with a spot of its own in the base. $16.95

The Hobbit (or There and Back Again)
“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.” – J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” Now a major motion picture, all J.R.R. Tolkien fans will want this addition on their shelves. $18.81

PowerGen Dual USB Port 2A 10w (fast) Heavy Duty Ouput Car Charger – White
The cell phone users dream! At only $9.99, this heavy duty car charger quickly and efficiently charges your cell phone while you are on the run. $9.99

The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe
Christmas chaos brings a need for relaxation. Filled with the best composers in the world, this 2 disc series is just what the elves will be listening to the moment Santa’s sleigh leaves the North Pole. $7.99

Kindle Fire HD 7″, Dolby Audio, Dual-Band Wi-Fi, 16 GB – Includes Special Offers
Every reader needs an e-reader! The kindle Fire is a lot more than “just an e-reader” though! With internet access, a read to me feature, unlimited cloud storage, social media integration, an HD camera and more, this personalized tablet will keep you occupied for hours. $199.00

Green Mountain, Gloria Jean’s, Timothy’s, Coffee People, Donut House, Celestial Seasonings, Emeril’s Unique Sampler K-Cup Portion Pack for Keurig Brewers, 35 Different
This sampler is fantastic and a great deal! Wake up Christmas morning, open this gift and everyone gets a cup of coffee! $25.99

Snoozies Womens Fleece Lined Footies,Leopard Hearts, Red, Large
My Snoozies are my heaven. Morning, noon and night while I putter around my house, my feet are cozy in my Snoozies. $8.99

Red
Still on the best sellers list, Taylor Swift’s album Red doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere for quite some time! $10.84

TOMS Women’s Canvas Slip-On,Navy Blue,8.5 M
TOMS’ shoes are comfortable, cushioned, and give back. For every shoe purchased, TOMS’ gives a pair of shoes to a child in need. $39.96

HedBanz Game
Currently rated the #1 game for children ages 6 and up, Hedbanz board game is fast paced and easy to play. Not only is it fun, it’s educational too! $14.49

Halo 4
Still #1 in games, in Halo 4, the Master Chief returns to battle an ancient evil bent on vengeance and annihilation. – The Reclaimer Saga Begins! $39.99

Posted in Family, Shopping, Tech | Tagged christmas, holiday, presents, Shopping, top gifts, trends | 1 Comment

Christmas Recipes Or Gifts

“I’m Pioneer Woman. And I love to cook.

Once upon a time, I fell in love with a cowboy. A strapping, rugged, chaps-wearing cowboy. Then I married him, moved to his ranch, had his babies . . . and wound up loving it. Except the manure. Living in the country for more than fifteen years has taught me a handful of eternal truths: every new day is a blessing, every drop of rain is a gift . . . and nothing tastes more delicious than food you cook yourself.” – Pioneer Woman

#1 New York Times bestselling author, Ree Drummond features some of the most mouth watering recipes I have ever tried! With step by step photographs, and everyday mouth watering recipes, The Pioneer Woman Cookbooks make great Christmas gifts and meals!

These cookbooks are sure to be a hit whether under the tree or on the table

Posted in Bookworm, Family, Motherhood, Uncategorized | Tagged christmas, cookbooks, gifts, holiday, meals, pioneer woman, recipes | Leave a comment

Last Minute Christmas Cards

Last minute Christmas cards… Year after year, I’m late sending Christmas cards.

It’s hard to believe December is already here! Every time I reach into my mailbox, I get a friendly reminder that I am once again, late sending our Christmas cards. Rather than wait until the week before Christmas, I decided this year would be different! That said, December 10th, I had a date with shutterfly! The past few years, shutterfly has come to my rescue countless times. From birthday invitations, to thank you notes and of course, Christmas cards, their wide array of card choices and quick delivery (which happened to be free this year) has never failed me.

Yesterday, I uploaded a few photos on the shutterfly website, added them to the card of my choice, played around with the editing tools (I went with Sepia for the look), and voila!!! Check out our 2012 Christmas cards below! One more thing to check off my list!

Photo Card

View the entire collection of cards.

Posted in Create, Media, Parenting | Tagged cards, christmas, holiday, photo, shutterfly | Leave a comment

The Christmas Jerk

Some people really are just jerks… either that, or they have no concept of reality.

Christmas seems to bring out the best and worst in people. What we tend to forget as we grow older is that it is truly a magical time for the little one’s in this world. I read something disturbing tonight. While browsing on Amazon.com, I came a cross a post along the lines of this (not a direct quote but the basic comment): A needy child is asking for an iPod Nano on the Angel tree at our church. Another asked for Xbox games so he/she must have an Xbox. The writer wondered how needy they must really be (insert sarcasm here)…

I don’t know who the writer is, nor do I care. The child (yes, CHILD), who is asking for the Nano, and the CHILD asking for the Xbox is just that… A CHILD! A CHILD who wants the same things as his/her peers. So the question really isn’t what is wrong with the child, but what is wrong with the person who has the audacity to question why a CHILD would ask for such a thing?

Christmas is supposed to be a time of magic and joy. Children really do believe in Santa. I know I did. I also know my girls still do. Regardless of what I can or cannot afford for my children each year, and how much I do, or do not give towards other causes every year, I would never discount a child and what they WISH they could have each Christmas. ”Wish” is the key word. My daughter Julia WISHES for one thing this Christmas… A white Pegasus unicorn with a sparkly pink mane and a cutie mark. Do you think I am going to tell her there is no way Santa would ever bring her that?

Posted in Children, Humanity, Kids, Parenting | Tagged angel, christmas, giving, Humanity, magic, tree | Leave a comment

A Gift For The Young Artist

The 21-Piece BeginAgain Eco-Friendly on The Go Artist Travel Kit – A PERFECT GIFT FOR THE YOUNG ARTIST!

UNDER $25.00!!!
WHAT YOUNG ARTIST WOULDN’T LOVE AN ON THE GO TRAVEL KIT WITH EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO CREATE A MASTERPIECE?
Children can create fun works of art with the BeginAgain Artist On The Go Travel Kit. The kit has everything a child needs to make colorful drawings. Whether your little artist is at a restaurant, traveling in a car, plane, train, or any other automobile, this travel kit makes a perfect companion. I fell in LOVE with this kit the moment I laid my eyes on it! It is even perfect for eco-conscious moms like me since it’s made from eco-friendly materials like cotton, wood, recycled paper, and soy. The kit is great for children 3 and up.

So, What Is It And What Does It Come With?
The BeginAgain Artist On The Go Travel Kit Is A Fully Equipped Natural Cotton Carry Case With A Built In Crayon Holster, Pencil Holders And Pockets That Contain…

A 6″x9″ recycled paper notepad
10 soy crayons
5 drawing stencils including a 6″ ruler (metric and inches)
2 wood pencils and plenty of storage

From The Manufacturer: BeginAgain is a creative mix of old timey storytelling and responsibly crafted invention.
The BeginAgain workshop rules: Kids are the true noisemakers – No batteries, no electronics, ever. Share your ideas, then build – Collaborate, share and build in partnership. Don’t leave a mess – Take oil out of play, use plant based materials whenever possible and always reduce, recycle and seek improvement. Great products have greater purpose – BeginAgain gives 1% to the community. BeginAgain’s products are made from either Natural rubber, Natural cotton fabrics, Sustainably harvested woods, Wheat starch plastic and Bamboo.

Posted in Art, Children, Create, Education, Kids, Media, Mom, Motherhood, Parenting, Shopping | Tagged art, artist, beginagain, Children, christmas, eco-friendly, gifts, holiday, presents, travel | Leave a comment

Best Tablets For Kids

If you are shopping for a child this holiday season, choosing the right tablet for him/her might be on your to do checklist. Children love technology and manufacturers love to make their products the most appealing. Since my daughters were born, they have been introduced to various technological products through the years. Being a technology lover myself, I never really shied away from buying them the latest products on the shelves. Unfortunately, my excitement has been known to get the best of me, and my choices have not always been suitable for their age.

Now, I am not saying that I buy inappropriate things for my children… I have bought them products that were a bit too advanced for their little hands though. Once again, the gift giving season is here and both girls want their own tablets. I decided to investigate and share the results with my readers.

Fuhu NABI & NABI2 Tablet

The NABI and NABI2 are popping up everywhere. Although the NABI has been around for more than a year, it was not until a month ago that I heard about it. I decided to find out what the excitement over this 7 inch tablet was all about. Manufactured by Fuhu, the NABI is an Android Tablet specifically designed for kids. I love their motto “Learn. Play. Grow. For Life.” Based on customer comments, the NABI is also suitable for toddlers. Similar to the iPad, NABI has a cloud for syncing and storing information. Other key features include an e-reader, a treasure box, chore list, parental controls, top billboard songs available for download, and even live streaming for those Saturday morning shows while mom and dad have to run errands. Overall, it is one of the most robust tablets specific to children yet, also enjoyable for mom or dad.

LeapFrog LeapPad2 Explorer

Although my girls already have the LeapPad, I had to include it on my list. Last Christmas, the LeapPad was one of the hottest sellers. Finding one to buy was nearly impossible. Fortunately, I stumbled upon 2… IN PINK! Christmas morning came and my girls had no interest in their LeapPads. It was disappointing to say the least. Little did I know then, but they just weren’t ready for them. This year, the LeapPads have become their traveling companions. The games are great but can be pricey. If you have an early reader, the LeapFrog website has great books available for download. What I love most about the books is the various ways your child can read them. The words can be highlighted as the LeapPad reads to your child. If your child is trying to read a book by him/herself and get’s stuck on a word. Simply pressing on the word will make the tablet read it out loud. Overall, a great purchase for children 5 and up.
Cyber Monday – Save $10-35 on all bundles including LeapPad2, LeapPad1, LeapsterGS, Tag Reading System and Tag Junior! Plus limited time deals! Offer valid 11.26 through 11.28!
LeapPad” Starter Bundle with $40 App Card – green

LeapPad” Starter Bundle with $40 App Card – pink

Create your own LeapPad or Explorer Game Bundle and Save up to 20%! Offer valid now through December 31st!
Free shipping on exclusive LeapPad2 bundles!

Fisher-Price iXL 6-in-1 Learning System

Starting with the 6-in-1, the Fisher-Price iXL features a Digital Reader, Game Player, Note Pad, Art Studio, MP3 Player and Photo Viewer. This rugged system comes in 3 colors (silver, blue and pink), and is great for kids new to technology. Kids can add their own music and photos, personalizing with fun drawing tools and digital stickers. And they’ll love all the different ways to play, learning important fundamentals from preloaded games and animated story books. iXL™ comes with a Media Manager on CD-ROM, making it easy to load and manage photos, music and other content. With so many options, the iXL will keep children busy for hours.

VTech InnoTab 2 Learning App Tablet and VTech InnoTab 2S Wi-Fi Learning App Tablet

The VTech InnoTab 2 and 2S Wi-Fi Learning App Tablets are durable, built for kids, offer a built-in digital camera, a plethora of games and much more. Vtech recommends children ages 4-9 years can use these tablets although my friend’s 3-year-old refuses to put hers down. The tablets include apps, and you can download more on-line. The camera is actually a rotating camera for photos and videos. They even have an interactive e-reader for new and seasoned readers. These tablets are multi-media products, with educational games as well as an amazing creative outlets for children. After testing these tablets out, I couldn’t help but include them on my list!

Kurio Kids Andriod Tablet

The Kurio Kids Tablet is an Android Tablet specially designed for kids with a drop-safe bumper! This tablet can also be enjoyed by adults with its a capacitive multi-touch touchscreen, front and rear facing cameras, HDMI & USB connections, integrated Mic, Wi-Fi, and Flash 11 support. Kids, teens, and parents alike can watch videos, write emails, surf the web, take photos & record video, read e-books, play music, and more. Adults can also exit the Kurio Interface and switch to the sleek Android System through the Parental Area. Packed with Preloaded Kids’ Content, it even offers premium versions of some of the most popular apps.

That’s it for my top tablets for kids… until next year… Happy Holiday Shopping!

Posted in Apps, Children, Education, Family, Kids, Media, Mom, Parenting, Shopping, Tech | Tagged christmas, fisher price, gifts, holiday, i-stuff, iPad, iPhone, iPod, Kurio, leapfrog, NABI, NABI 2, presents, tablets, tech, VTech | Leave a comment

Elfster – Holiday Shopping Made Easy

I’m Making A List… Checking It Twice… Too bad nobody else is…

Shopping during the holiday season is hard enough. Making sure you buy just the right gifts and don’t give a gift that someone already has makes it even tougher. With technological advancements being on the rise, it only seems logical that developers would finally come up with a great app to solve everyone’s holiday shopping dilemmas. Hence, the arrival of Elfster!

Elfster is one of the cutest and most useful apps this holiday season! The best part… it’s FREE! So, you ask, what is so great about this app? Elfster simplifies gift giving, and makes your gift shopping and wishing more fun and social. While on the go, you can easily see your friends’ wish lists, ask them secret questions, check out the hottest trending gifts, or check in on your “secret santa” style gift exchange with friends, family and colleagues scattered far and wide. Anytime. Anyplace. And bar code scanning lets you add wishes to your own list anytime you run across something cool while out and about. Join millions of happy gift givers and party lovers using Elfster, the leading free, online gift exchange organizer and wish list site.Simplify birthdays and holidays and every gifting occasion with the official Elfster app for iPhone.Features: Add anything from anywhere to your wish list. Find and follow friends wishlists (and they can follow yours). Participate in a “secret santa” style gift exchange. See who your “secret santa draw is. Check out trending gifts and get inspired. Like gifts on Facebook. Tweet cool gifts. Send secret questions to your friends. Enough said. Just get the app and enjoy!

Posted in Apps, Family, Kids, Media, Mom, Motherhood, Parenting, Shopping, Social | Tagged birthdays, christmas, elfster, gifts, holiday shopping, holidays, i-stuff, iPad, iPhone, iPod, presents, social, tech, wish list | Leave a comment

A New Holiday Tradition – Giving Tuesday

SAVE THE DATE: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27TH, 2012

Give Thanks On Thanksgiving, Receive Deals On Black Friday And Cyber Monday… Why not GIVE on Giving Tuesday?

There are so many ways to give this year. Giving Tuesday is a new holiday tradition for your family, community, company or organization to be a part of. Join America in bringing back what the holiday’s are supposed to be about… GIVING!

I remember the first time I celebrated the winter holidays. As I child, they truly were magical! Thinking about my children, and their excitement during the holidays, I started listing some of my holiday memories from childhood. I wanted to write things that came to mind first. While reading through my list, I was surprised at how it began. I decided to share the first 5 memories written on my list below:

The smell of cologne on the 2^nd floor of a department store I loved.
The sound of a bell ringing every time I entered a grocery store or mall and reaching into my pocket to give the last bit of change left.
The reindeer that came to visit an outdoor plaza with Santa every Christmas season.
The arrival of the latest Christmas songs that made my friends and I laugh hysterically.
The hustle, bustle and fantastic energy in the air I felt.

I was always taught that the holidays were about giving. The past few years, it seems like people have been more stressed about buying than giving. In fact, I rarely hear about giving any more, although I know many people who still do. Giving Tuesday is your chance to not only give, but to spread the word about how you are giving. It is about embracing and joining a movement that makes everyone feel great during the holidays.

It really takes so little to make a difference. There is no minimum amount you need to take part in Giving Tuesday. It is not only about making a financial contribution either. It is simply a contribution. Take a moment and look at the various ways that you, your family, community, business or organization can give. You might be surprised at the options!